'Shaken' Murdoch Apologizes to Milly Dowler's Family

News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch personally apologized Friday to the family of teenage murder victim Milly Dowler, whose phone was reportedly targeted in the News of the World phone hacking scheme. The BBC notes Murdoch is the one who "requested the meeting" when reports emerged that his since-folded tabloid tried hacking into Dowler's phone when she was still missing in 2002. According to the Mirror, Dowler's parents, sister and the family's lawyer were present for the meeting, held at "the five star One Aldwych hotel, in central London." The paper adds that Murdoch "emerged from the hotel to shouts of 'shame on you'" from protesters that had gathered outside.

When he was spotted by reporters leaving the hotel, Murdoch declined to go into specifics about what was said, but Dowler family lawyer Mark Lewis told reporters that Murdoch apologized "many times" and said that the mogul was "very humbled, he was very shaken and he was very sincere," according to USA Today.

When asked if the family was planning legal action against Murdoch, The Guardian reports Lewis confirmed that "they will be pursuing legal remedies, but today is not the day for that."

This would appear to be the most specific apology Murdoch has given since the hack scandal began, but it took place behind closed doors. As the BBC notes, he'll be running a series of ads tomorrow that apologize for "serious wrongdoing," which still seems vague.

The meeting came hours after Murdoch loyalist Rebekah Brooks resigned as head of News International amid widespread calls from politicians and the public for her ouster.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.

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Ray Gustini is the author of Lucky Town, a forthcoming book about sports in Washington, D.C. He is a former staff writer for The Atlantic Wire.